1 Criteria and Guidelines for the Registration of Assessors Criteria and Guidelines for the Registration of Assessors Please refer any queries in writing to: The ETQA Manager:
2 FoodBev SETA Attention: Krappie Eloff P.O. Box 245 Gallo Manor 2052 Fax: (011) 253-733 e-mail: krappie@foodbev.co.za POLICY DOCUMENT Table of Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Requirements 5 3 The role and expertise of assessors 6 3.1 Criteria included in the unit standard or qualification being assessed 7
3 3.2 Additional criteria to be considered in relation to the registration of constituent assessors 7 3.2.1 Subject matter expertise 8 3.2.2 Contextual expertise (including Occupational expertise) 8 3.2.3 Education, Training and Development (ETD) expertise 9 3.2.4 Planning, administration and management skills 9 3.2.5 Interpersonal skills 3.3 Number of assessments and period of registration 10 3.4 External moderation 11 3.5 De-registration 12 Definition of terms 13 Chapter 1
4 Introduction The registration of assessors is a means of ensuring that whoever assesses learner competence across all fields and economic sectors and at all NQF levels, meets a consistent set of criteria agreed by SAQA. This will ensure that all NQF registered standards and qualifications are assessed consistently, even though assessors will be registered with different ETQAs and the context of assessment will vary greatly according to the level and field of the qualification. All assessment agencies and centres are required to use registered constituent assessors of the appropriate ETQA, and all education and training providers will also be expected to use registered constituent assessors of the appropriate ETQA. FoodBev SETA, as an ETQA will refuse accreditation to providers of education and training and/or assessment if, after the agreed period, they still do not use registered assessors to conduct the assessment of learners. The register of assessors that FoodBev SETA will maintain should consist of those individuals who have demonstrated the applied competence to assess learners for summative assessment that culminates in decisions regarding the awarding of credits and /or qualifications. The rationale for such a register is to ensure the credibility of summative assessments in the NQF system, i.e. fairness, validity, reliability and practicality of assessments. Chapter 2 Requirements The requirements can be summarized as follows:
5 2.1 All registered assessors must have met the requirements of the generic assessor standard, and should be certified by a training provider accredited by the ETDP SETA to provide such training, assessment and certification. 2.2 This requirement will be enforced from the end of May 2004, by which time all assessors should be able to demonstrate competence against the new standard, either through participating in a training and assessment programme or through undergoing an RPL process. Once the system is fully operational, the status of certificated assessors can be checked on the National Learner records Database. 2.3 All registered assessors are registered to assess using specified standards and/or qualifications that are within the primary scope of coverage of the FoodBev SETA: the registered assessor must be able to demonstrate competence in relation to these specified standards and qualifications, at or above, the level of the qualifications in question. The status of registered assessors can be checked on the FoodBev SETA database or website. 2.4 All registered assessors must have met any additional requirements laid down by FoodBev SETA. The status of registered assessors can be checked on the FoodBev SETA database or website. Chapter 3 The role and expertise of assessors The OBET system differs fundamentally from previous knowledge and inputs-based systems. It ensures that the learner, as opposed to the content or the curriculum, is at the centre of learning. The following statement describes the desired change from the assessment practice in the past, to our present ethos of assessment. Learning is no longer something that is done to the learner, but something that the learner is actively involved in. As such, the role of the assessor has changed: from being a gate-keeper, who uses assessment to prevent learners from developing further, to a supportive guide who has the success of the learner at heart so that the learner can gain access to further learning.
6 The generic assessor standard, ASSMT 01: Plan and conduct assessment of learning outcomes explains exactly what is required of assessors in terms of the assessment of learning outcomes leading to the credit of standards or qualifications registered on the NQF. This includes roles and responsibilities of the assessor and assessment expertise required. 3.1 Additional criteria to be considered in relation to the registration of constituent assessors with FoodBev SETA. Once FoodBev SETA is satisfied that a prospective assessor has achieved the required standard: Plan and conduct assessment of learning outcomes, the assessors must clearly indicate the level of expertise they have. This will indicate the parameters within which the FoodBev SETA may wish to register them as constituent assessors. The expertise needed is the following: 3.1.1 Subject Matter Expertise FoodBev SETA requirements are the registered assessor must be able to demonstrate competence in relation to the specified standards and qualifications, at or above, the level of the qualifications in question. Assessors must have proficiency in the subject matter of the discipline or learning area in which the standards and qualifications they are responsible for falls. The assessor should have either the same qualifications as the one that is being assessed, or a qualification in the same family as the one being assessed. In some cases however, assessors must have the actual qualification they are assessing this is especially true for occupations in which lives are at risk. Assessors should also demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the specific standards and knowledge as obtained in the following areas of expertise, that is, assessors should have both occupational and contextual expertise in their field of assessment. 3.1.2 Contextual Expertise (including Occupational Expertise) Assessors should: a. Know exactly what is expected of the learners by way of standards, which the learners have to meet. b. Have cross-field knowledge but remain subject matter and/or occupational experts c. Understand what forms of assessment are appropriate to their discipline/field and to the NQF level being assessed. d. Have relevant occupational qualifications.
7 e. Understand the language of the field they are assessing, i.e. both the technical terminology as well as the ways of thinking and doing that are required of them to be competent as assessors. f) Keep up to date with developments in their field g) Regularly ask learners for feedback on assessment in order to constantly monitor and improve their (assessors ) practice. h) Know the curriculum and trainers/educators/facilitators through regular contact and provide them with detailed feedback. i) Take into consideration other factors when conducting assessments, i.e. language by making use of interpreters and learners with special needs. j) Ensure that learners are clear about what is expected of them. k) Treat learners with respect and sensitivity l) Demonstrate a broad understanding of outcomes-based forms of assessment and the NQF. m) Ensure that the relationship between the learner and assessment is conducive to the assessment. n) Understand their own role within the broader quality assurance system and keep up to date in related fields of study. o) Ensure that the environment for assessment is conducive to assessment. p) Demonstrate that they are competent to deal with the following: assessment environment, assessment instrument and assessment system. q) Know how to provide feedback on the standards and qualifications to relevant stand-setting bodies. r) Have expertise in the specific learning area and generic knowledge in other related learning areas for integrated assessment practice. 3.1.3. Education, Training and Development (ETD) Expertise The persons that can be assessors are listed below: Trainers/teachers/lecturers Colleagues/peers Supervisors Managers Designated workplace assessors External assessors external to the learning site, be it the workplace or provider learning. There is a period of four years (from May 2001) for training against the generic standard Plan and conduct assessment, before the use of registered assessors becomes a requirement for all assessments leading to credits or qualifications registered on the NQF. Once this requirement is implemented, providers, assessment agencies and centres must use registered constituent assessors from the FoodBev SETA or relevant ETQA. If not, the assessment will not be recognized by SAQA. 3.1.4. Planning, Administrative and Management Skills
8 Assessors need to demonstrate that they have relevant planning, administrative and management skills. They need to demonstrate that they can manage and utilize basic information systems to ensure that the applicable administrative and reporting requirements are reliable, efficient and secure. Assessors should also conduct themselves with integrity and ensure that learners are aware that they have recourse to the appeal system. These skills and values are integral to the generic assessor standard required by SAQA, therefore no additional criteria need to be included. 3.1.5 Interpersonal Skills It is important for assessors to have appropriate interpersonal skills and to communicate effectively with learners. The assessor needs to establish a trusting relationship with learners not only to perform optimally during assessment, but also to assure the learners that the assessor has their interests at heart, i.e. that: a) The assessment is fair b) The assessor acts with integrity c) The assessor maintains confidentiality d) The assessment is conducted according to the principles of a good assessment and the requirements of the standard and or qualification. These skills and values are integrated into the generic assessor standard required by SAQA, and no additional criteria should normally be needed. It is virtually impossible for FoodBev SETA to evaluate assessors interpersonal skills, but providers should note that such qualities might be considered in the selection of candidates for assessor training. It must be emphasized that the criteria for the registration of assessors must refers directly to applied competence of the assessor within the sector. Sector-specific criteria, additional to the generic assessor standard will be made publicly available to all potential providers. 3.2 Number of assessments and period of registration A registered assessor must perform at least 12 assessments annually in order to maintain his/her registration with FoodBev SETA. The period of registration of an assessor will be 3 (three) years after which assessors will have to reapply for registration. 3.3 External moderation Registered assessors must provide FoodBev SETA with assessment schedules, indicating when and where they intend conducting assessments.
External moderation of assessments will be conducted by FoodBev SETA at its discretion and using the assessment schedules supplied by registered assessors as reference. 9
10 3.4 De-registration In the case of an assessor no longer complying with FoodBev SETA requirements, FoodBev SETA may de-register an assessor at that time.
11 Definition of terms Assessment Assessor means the process of collecting evidence of learners work to measure and make judgments about the achievement or non-achievement of specified National Qualifications Framework standards and/or qualifications. means the person registered by the relevant Education and Training Body in accordance with the criteria established for this purpose by a Standard Generating body to measure the achievement of specified National Qualifications Framework standards and/or qualifications, and consistent assessor has a corresponding meaning Education and Training Quality Assurance Body means a body in terms of Section 5 (1) (a) (ii) of the SAQA Act, responsible for monitoring and auditing achievements in terms of national standards or qualifications, and to which specific functions relating to the monitoring and auditing of national standards and / or qualifications have been assigned in terms of section 5 (1) (b) (i) of the SAQA Act Facilitator of learning and assessment means an individual who facilitates learning processes and activities and manages and administers assessments. This concept includes educators, trainers, mentors, etc Learner Moderation Moderator Registration means an individual who is participating in a learning programme with the purpose of achieving credits for standard and or qualifications means the process, which ensures that assessment of the outcomes described in the National Qualifications Framework standards and / or qualifications is fair, valid and reliable. means the person who moderates assessments means the process which ensures that the person who assesses learner competence has the requisite criteria recommended by Standard Generating Bodies (SGBs) for specified NQF registered standards and/or qualifications Registered constituent assessor means an assessor who has met the requirements for registration as an assessor of specified NQF qualifications and/or standards and has been registered by the ETQA under whose primary focus the standards and qualifications fall.
12 Standard Generating Body means a body registered in terms of Section 5 (1) (a) (ii) of the SAQA Act, responsible for establishing education and training standards or qualifications, and to which specific functions relating to the establishing and / or qualifications have been assigned in terms of this Section. Validation Verification Verifier means the overall process by which it is determined by an ETQA whether or not an assessment is valid (has succeeded in assessing what it claims to have assessed); and leading to the acceptance or rejection of assessment results it can include a range of validation options, for example, verification, statistical analysis, examination of the assessment instrument, sampling of evidence of applied competence, observation of processes, site visits or interviews. means the process managed by an ETQA for externally verifying (checking) moderation processes and confirming or overturning moderation findings means the person who verifies the moderation process